The Environmentalist Movement is Destroying Itself
On Toxic Environmentalism, Which is Harming the Movement
I’ve been an active environmentalist for about one year, educating myself and others on different aspects of helping the planet. I deeply love other members of the movement, but at the same time, I’ve been noticing extremely toxic practices becoming popular among us, and it’s harming the movement deeply. So let’s address it.
Perfectionism
The internet is becoming flooded with sustainability tips. Going vegan, taking shorter showers, turning off the lights, and thrifting clothes. These are all good practices, however, is it possible some people are taking them too far? Let me explain.
There is nothing wrong with putting a focus on environmentally friendly practices. All the time, I encourage them, and implement them myself. The issue arrises when we feel intense guilt just for taking a bath, or point fingers at others for eating meat.
What I wish people would understand is that living sustainably is a slow process. It doesn’t happen overnight. It comes from implementing one habit at a time. It comes from the small decisions you make every day. The process of sustainable living is like a ladder— with each step of the ladder representing a tiny, actionable step you take towards this desired lifestyle.
Perhaps for one step you buy a tote bag instead of using plastic bags. Then, when you are ready, you start thrifting. When you are ready to take the next step, maybe you buy a reusable water bottle, and so on.
Another important thing to understand is that not everyones ladder is the same. We all live different lives with different journeys and different needs. Maybe cutting meat from your diet is possible, but what if someone elses’ body has more particular needs? This is just a random example to demonstrate that not every sustainable practice is for you, and not every practice you can implement will work for someone else.
Being eco-conscious isn’t a jump from never caring about the environment to perfect, completely sustainable living. It’s a process, journey, and scale.
What really makes me ache inside is when I see someone shamed for not living each and every one of the ideals of sustainability; they haven’t yet completed the ‘checklist’ of do’s and don’ts, and have become a target for this black and white thinking.
If someone is trying their best, I really don’t care how far along they are in their journey. I’m happy to walk ahead of them and lead the way, walk beside them and be their companion, or walk behind them and follow their footsteps.
Building eco-friendly mindsets is a messy, flawed, and sometimes frustrating process that requires patience, education, and community, not shame and guilt.
Over-focusing On Individual Sustainability
Please note, that individual sustainability is an amazing thing to put into practice! It is beneficial when an individual consciously makes a difference.
It is not so beneficial when individual sustainability (and by this I mean the lifestyle of the individual) becomes your sole dependence.
The sustainability of the lifestyle of individuals only solves part of the problem involving climate change and irresponsible use of earth’s resources.
It is the sustainability of large corporations and government policy that solves the rest.
Large companies, rich billionaires, and corrupt governments are the biggest cause of carbon emissions. Not your neighbor that takes a bath every day and keeps a light on all night. Not the meat consumed by the average American. Not the mini plastic water bottle you drank last week.
It’s important to zoom in on the personal impact and carbon footprint you create. But if this is your only focal point, you’re missing the bigger picture. Because it’s also important to zoom out and understand that unless we target the greed of the elite, the issue won’t yet be solved.
Misrepresentation
These levels of toxic perfectionism actively scare people away from the movement as a whole. Once they hear that they ‘have’ to go vegan or other extremes, they don’t want to join in the first place.
They aren’t told that they’re welcome as they are, and will be able to find their place as a beginner, gradually being encouraged to take steps towards progress. They are told they need to change everything about their life, and fast, because they are the problem.
They are given misinformation which causes them to become frustrated with our community, confusing our ideals and becoming closed off to our voices.
I am not saying in any way that we should becoming quieter to fit the boxes others will put us in. The anger, passion, and want for justice that keeps us loud are beautiful things. What I am cautioning is to be careful with whom that anger is directed towards.
The progression of environmental action and awareness is slowed by animosity and negativity. Any progress in any area is slowed by negativity. If we use hatred and shame as weapons and fuel we will never be able to sustain a movement.
Forward progression is created when we use positivity and compassion. It’s just the way our brains are designed. When we only focus on everything that’s wrong and never celebrate all the things we’re doing right, we can never win. Because with that attitude, it will never be enough.
The only sustainable fuel is the one that uses passion, justice, and love. You can’t rest a movement on shame and expect its weight to be carried.
Know Who Really Opposes You
We need to understand who’s hurting the earth. The people who are hurting the earth are the people who never try to care. If you at least try, that means there’s room to grow, and it doesn’t matter how imperfectly you start out.
The beginner environmentalists are not the opposition. No matter what mistakes they make, or which habits they have that can be potentially harmful, they are not the problem.
They are trying to help. They are trying to learn. Meet them with education, not shame. Welcome them, teach them, and inspire them. Show them what they’re doing right, along with what they’re doing wrong, using constructive criticism rather than berating them.
I don’t care if you want to admit it or not, but you can’t create change without them. So stand with them or fail, the choice is yours.